Teacup LUHVAH

Thank you Auntie Cath!!! ❤️❤️❤️

So it's SUMMER!

I've been absent from the blogging world for the past couple of weeks. If you know anything about me it's for only one of two reasons: 1. Nothing has happened, or 2. EVERYTHING has happened. Well guess what, it's the latter this time. 

The last couple of weeks of school were typical. Busy, hectic, filled with fun  activities and the usual drama. The kids shone in the series of standardized tests we had given them and really made me proud by displaying incredible acquisition of skills! I am SO SO SO proud of these guys I can hardly contain my pride when I talk about them. This year has been the most rewarding teaching year thus far. It has also been the most challenging and stressful year but in a good way, if that makes any sense. Not only did my students grow and change and rise to meet their daily challenges, but so did I as an educator. I stepped outside my comfort zone on a daily, if not hourly basis - guided by some truly supportive, knowledgable, honest, resourceful and generous coworkers and friends. Without them, I wouldn't have made it!! I feel that I have grown so much and learned so much that I can tackle a 3rd year of grade 2 with a whole different perspective and approach. I am ready!

Anyways, the last week of school began and the typical preparations for closing down had begun. We only had 2 teaching days to finish up but there was still plenty to be done. The grade 1 classes hosted our own awards ceremony, recognizing the student's efforts and contributions to the classroom community. Parents attended and it was a really touching little ceremony (preceded by a hotdog "picnic" in the classroom). The kids were tickled at being recognized. We had lots of fun and games and then suddenly, as quickly as the year had started, it was over! A successful 3rd year of teaching in the North in the bag. 

I was also preparing to host my family for the last week of school for a little visit! The weather was slowly turning pleasant and I was anxiously anticipating their arrival Tuesday around dinner time. Well, that was until their car left the road, went down a steep embankment and flipped a few times on the James Bay Highway Tuesday afternoon...

THANKFULLY everyone was mostly uninjured and survived this horrible crash. Not the car though, that was totaled. Honestly, my sister, mother and aunt (and BOBO good lord Bobo) were extremely lucky to survive given all circumstances. The James Bay Highway is a particularly isolated 600km+ stretch of road running north/south along the James Bay. There is no cell phone service along this road, plenty of curves and each community is located approximately 100km from the Highway and hundreds of kilometers apart from one another. To say it's isolated really is an understatement. It's beautiful but also unforgiving. So when they rolled the Toyota Camry 30 feet from the road, they were lucky to have daylight on their side. It wasn't long before many passing cars stopped to come to their aid, which was a relief because emergency services, once alerted, wouldn't be there for about an hour and a half (distance from the closest community Eastmain - to the crash site, 170ish kilometers - and back). 

The kindness, concern and generosity of a number of complete strangers astounded me and my family. A nurse stayed with my aunt who was trapped in the drivers side, some went to the SOS emergency phone checkpoint, others provided blankets to keep my family warm in the cool rain, one dismantled the battery to ensure the car wouldn't blow up (??) and another let my mom use his satellite phone to call me, alerting me to the accident and trying to work out a plan before the ambulance and fire department arrived!

It was a terrifying ordeal but I was kept up to date by strangers who were given my number by my mom. They were taken to Eastmain, a community south of Wemindji by about 4 hours. With various health issues, my family was anxious to be seen by a doctor and they were taken to the clinic in town. By the time they reached a phone in Eastmain to make a plan with me, it was too late for me to travel so I hooked them up with a coworker's family member who had room to take them in for the night. These people were truly saviors for my family as they were alone and shaken in a foreign land. My friends rallied around me that afternoon and evening, keeping me company, cooking me dinner, helping me pack while all I could do was pace and keep my family in the south updated! I am so grateful for the kindness and generosity my friends showed me in a time of uncertainty and extreme stress. The next morning I rose at 4:30 and hit the road at 5 to reach my family in Eastmain at 9:30. They needed to be seen by a doctor again before taking off to the ER in Val D'or, about 8 hours south.  I was graciously given permission to leave a few days early by administration, something I am truly grateful for. Since they had no car, no car rental place in the great white north and everyone too shaken and on pain meds to drive, I became the sole driver of the journey and took my role very seriously. We arrived in Val D'or after a total of 15 hours of driving for me and went straight to the hospital where staff were waiting for my family's arrival. They were seen and given the ok to continue travel. After a well deserved dinner of takeout Mikes, and a very sound sleep, we were on the road back to Oakville the next morning. We arrived safe and sound after another 10 hours of driving and I basically collapsed. Everyone is still doing well, cuts and bruises are healing and a new car has been purchased! And best of all, my summer has begun!!

Take care people and wear your seatbelts!!

My summer. 

Two Weeks to Goooooooo!

Another glorious countdown has begun. The countdown to summer vacation! In less than 2 short weeks I will be home in Oakville, probably roasting alive in the intense southern heat - but alive nonetheless. 

This year has been insane. I have had the absolute time of my life teaching grade 1 and learning a lot about myself as an educator and as a person. There have been a lot of bumps along the way but I really consider this year a professional win. I wish I was teaching grade 1 again next year but the powers that be have decided to place me back in grade 2 for a 3rd year. While I wanted to either stay in grade 1 for another year or move around to a new grade, I will approach my renewed time in 2nd grade much differently than I have in the past. I've been told I'll get my class again which is really awesome. I know them so well and we have such a great relationship, we can pick right up where we left off and save a lot of "training" work that we educators know takes weeks (or forever) with little ones when starting a new year. 

Anyways the weather has gotten slightly better over the last week or so and since the water debacle, quality of life has improved. Last weekend I went out with a bunch of friends to a nearby island for the day to enjoy what turned out to be a gorgeous day, complete with a campfire, hotdogs and even iceberg sightings (cue Titanic soundtrack). The previous day I hosted a wedding shower for my dear friend Shelby who's nuptials will take place this summer. An epic event! 

Otherwise school has been trucking right along. It seems like the work never ends and especially with these guys there is always some material to be covered and a lesson to be taught. We are finished our literacy and math testing and I was pleased with the results. My kids have worked so so hard this year and it really shows. I can't wait to see the progress they will make next year! 

This week is the last full week of classes, the following week having only 2 days with kids, a holiday in the middle followed by 2 PED days for packing up. I've been packing a few boxes of non-essentials in the classroom a day, trying to make a dent so that I am not too overwhelmed on the last few days up here. That is also because my family is visiting during my last week and I definitely do not want to be in the classroom until 9pm every night packing up boxes when I can be hanging out with them! 

Grade 1 also has a fun week planned. Weather permitting we will have a picnic lunch and Grade 1 Awards Ceremony to acknowledge all the hard work these kids have done this year. It will be really nice to tell them how well they have done in a really special way. 

Last night was my 2nd Annual Bacon Party and it did not disappoint. People got really creative this year and it was delicious.  Some of the contributions included: my bacon chili, bacon and egg cups, bacon loaded potatoes, mini bacon sliders, bacon cinnamon rolls, bacon salad, bacon hash brown casserole, bacon Mac and cheese, bacon brittle, bacon chocolate chip cookies, stuffed bacon jalapeño peppers, bacon cheeseburger dip and much more. It was an event for the history books. 

Anyways after a good sleep in, a nap and cleanup, I spent some time outside today (including as I write this) in the glorious sunshine planning a mini unit for this week, doing some work on final comments for report cards and rebuilding my freckle count. 

Happy June people!